Let It Snow
by Lady Buttercup
Summary: When we finally kiss goodnightHow I’ll hate going out in the stormBut if you really hold me tightAll the way home I’ll be warm


**A/N: just a little puff piece. It's inspired by the song _Let It Snow_ but doesn't follow along exactly.**

**Let It Snow**

_Oh, the weather outside is frightful  
__But the fire is so delightful  
__And since we've no place to go  
__Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow._

Lily sat bundled up next to large window. It was her favorite spot in the whole miniature common room; one of the perks of being Head Girl. Lily pulled the cover tighter around her as she sighed. The window clouded and then the fog slowly disappeared.

Lily glanced over at the fire and saw that the embers were slowly starting to die. Eventually she would have to get up and rekindle it if she didn't want to freeze to death but right now she was comfortable right where she was.

It was cold and it was snowing. It wasn't a blizzard but it was still snowing hard. Huge snowflakes fell from the sky as Lily continued to look out the window. She loved Christmas but she hated how everyone left.

A loud smash sounded from up above Lily and she quickly looked up, wondering what the noise was.

"Sorry!" came a shout from upstairs. Oh, that's right, she wasn't alone; she had the wonderful James Potter to keep her company.

Lily sighed and rested her head against the cold window. Everyone left so why couldn't have James?

Another loud smash resounded from the room upstairs and Lily started to become a little bit concerned.

"What are you doing up there James?" Lily shouted.

"Nothing!" James shouted back. Lily heard him curse and a small pop was heard. Lily suddenly didn't want to know what he was doing anymore.

A wave of coldness washed over Lily and she realized that the fire had finally gone out. The only thing that lit the common room was the light coming from James' room and the scattered candles around the room. Lily slowly got up from her sitting position and stretched, working the kinks out of her neck.

Wait a minute, weren't the fireplaces bewitched or something? Why were they going out? Lily walked over to the fireplace and stared down at the few glowing embers. She didn't even know how to start a fire without her wand and she really didn't want to go all the way up to her room and search for it.

It seemed like Lily would have to settle for her last resort. "James!" Lily called, flopping down on the couch in front of the fire. She let her head drop until she could see James's door up the stairs. She saw James' head pop out of his door upside-down.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Can you restart the fire for me?" Lily asked as nicely as she could. She hated leading James on like this but it was hard not to. For James, a single word from her would translate as 'I love you' in his head.

"Um," James glanced back in his room and then back at Lily, "ok, just give me a minute." James' head disappeared.

_And it doesn't show signs of stopping  
__And I've brought some corn for popping  
__The lights are turned way down low  
__Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow_

James came down the steps with his wand in his pocket and a big bowl in his arms.

"What are you carrying?" Lily asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

"Food," James said simply, setting the bowl on the coffee table in front of the couch and then knelt in front of the fire.

"Of course it's food. Eating is all men ever do," Lily said, rolling her eyes.

"Hey," James said, turning around pointing a finger at Lily. "We do magic occasionally as well."

"Just get the fire started, I'm freezing," Lily said, wrapping the cover around her and resting her head on a big, downy pillow.

"Yes your majesty," James said. "Why couldn't you do this yourself? Last I checked you're a pretty damn good witch."

"My wand's all the way upstairs, I don't have any matches, and I haven't been taught in barbaric fire-starting yet," Lily said.

"That would probably explain it," James said as he stood up and stepped away from the fire. A small fire had been made in place of the dying embers. "Look at that beautiful fire!" James said proudly.

"That's going to last about ten minutes," Lily said.

"Sorry, I haven't been taught in the barbaric fire-starting ways yet," James said rolling his eyes.

"So use your wand!"

"Oh but this is so much more fun. We're fighting the elements!" James said excitedly as he sat down on the couch opposite of Lily.

"We're in a magical castle. Yeah James, we're doing a lot of 'fighting the elements'," Lily laughed.

"Aw shut up Lily, you're ruining the mood," James said, pulling the big metal bowl of popcorn onto his lap. Lily rolled her eyes and laid her head back down on the pillow, staring at the small fire.

The two teenagers sat in silence, each in their own world; one wishing she was somewhere else and the other thanking the unnamed lord that he was in this situation.

"So," James started, wanting to talk to Lily but also not wanting to break the comfortable silence. "Why are you here?"

"Excuse me?" Lily asked, not quite understanding him. She looked at him, an eyebrow raised.

"Why aren't you at home on Christmas Eve?" James asked again.

Lily looked away and sighed. "Because no one wants me at home," she said quietly. James barely heard her at first.

"Because no one wants you there? Why wouldn't your parents want you at home? That's ridiculous," James said, shaking his head and popping a fist-full of popcorn into his mouth.

"Why aren't you at home then? You're parents spoil you rotten; why would you miss out on that?" Lily asked sharply, changing the subject

"That's exactly why I wanted to stay here! I'm tired of all their pampering; they won't be able to do that my whole life. Besides, it's my last year at Hogwarts and I want to be able to spend every moment I can here," James explained. "But that doesn't answer my question; why are you here?"

"James," Lily groaned, turning onto her back so that she was looked at James over her stomach. "I have a sister who hates me and daily tries to ruin my life. She's even influenced my parents. They're proud of me but somehow she always beats me in everything. I'm tired of trying to please them all; to show them that I'm just like them but can do a few incredible things."

"If you have to please someone to show them that you're a good person, they aren't worth showing off to. You shouldn't have to do that Lily," James said, putting more popcorn in his mouth but not taking his eyes off of Lily.

"They're family, I can't abandon them."

"I'm not telling you to abandon them, I'm just saying present to them what you are and if they accept it, good for them; if not forget about it. Not everyone in this world will love you," James said.

_When we finally kiss goodnight  
__How I'll hate going out in the storm  
__But if you really hold me tight  
__All the way home I'll be warm_

The two teens sat in silence once more, though Lily had moved from laying down to sitting up with her knees at her chest.

"You want to go and play in the snow?" James asked after the silence became unbearable.

"Yeah ok and go freeze to death. That sounds like an excellent plan," Lily said sarcastically.

"If we bundle up it won't be that cold," James argued.

"James," Lily groaned. "I'm freezing in here with a fire. I'm going to freeze to death out there without a fire."

"Please? For me?" James begged, giving Lily his best puppy-dog eyes.

Lily glared at James but finally rolled her eyes. "Whatever." James whooped and bounded off the couch and up the stairs. On the other hand, Lily was much slower to get up and dragged her feet up to her room. It took her five minutes to find her coat and scarf and another ten minutes to put it all on.

"Come on Lily!" James called from downstairs.

"Hold on!" Lily shouted back, pulling on her boots. When Lily finally made it downstairs she saw James wearing a similar attire to hers. "We aren't staying out there long."

"That's what you think," James laughed, bounding out of the common room and down the dreary Hogwarts halls. Lily followed more slowly. When Lily finally made it outside James was already lying on the snow covered ground and making a snow angel.

"You're going to freeze to death," Lily said matter-of-factly, standing over James as he lay in the snow, breathing heavily from running around.

"But you'll freeze with me," James said, taking Lily's hands and dragging her down into the snow. Lily shrieked and tried to resist but James was too strong and within seconds Lily was covered in snow next to James.

"I hate you," Lily growled, her face in the snow.

"You've been saying that for the seven years; it's lost its credibility," James said, smirking.

"I don't care, it's the truth," Lily said, sitting up.

"That's just what you say but we both know it's not true."

"Excuse me? You think you know what's going in my head?" Lily asked, raising up to her knees and putting her hands on her hips.

"You're so predictable Lily, of course I know what's going on inside your head," James said.

"Fine then, what am I thinking right now?"

James laughed softly and rose up so he was level with Lily. "That's easy Lily; couldn't you have challenged me a little bit?"

"If it's so easy why don't you answer?" Lily challenged. When the words left Lily's mouth, James smile and shook his head, laughing quietly. He leaned close to Lily and before she could react he placed his hand on her cheek, pulling her to close him.

"Just a little variation of what's going on in your head," James whispered before kissing her softly on the lips.

_Yeah, the fire's slowly dieing  
__And my dear we're still goodbying  
__But as long as you love me so  
__Let is snow, let is snow, let it snow_

"Your hand's freezing," Lily whispered a minute after James pulled away. James stared at Lily and then laughed.

"Are you serious?"

"No I'm not Sirius and yeah I thought I was going to get frostbite on my cheek," Lily said, pulling away from James, standing up, and walking away toward the doors that led inside.

James stared after Lily's retreating back and then scrambled to his feet and after her. "First off that was a horrible pun and second of all, is that all you can say?"

"What am I suppose to say?" Lily asked, continuing her brisk walk to the Head's common room.

"Lily," James said, grabbing her arm and stopping her. "You've hated me for the past seven years. I couldn't finish a sentence because you'd always say no too fast. You wouldn't even give me the time of day. Now I kiss you and you have no reaction. The least you can do is yell at me or something."

"Do you want me to yell at you?" Lily asked calmly.

"No, not really," James said sheepishly, releasing her arm.

"I'm confused right now but I'll tell you honestly that I didn't mind it," Lily said before opening the common room door and walking inside.

James grinned as the words registered. "So you like me?" he asked as he walked into the common room. "It's dark and freezing in here," James shivered when he stepped in the room.

"Because there isn't a fire in here. I told you that small fire wasn't going to last," Lily said as she blindly made her way to the couch. The only light in the common room was from the windows. "Now I'm really going to freeze to death," Lily complained, wrapping the still warm blanket around her.

"Hey! No fair, share!" James said, rushing over to Lily and wrestling part of the cover away from her. The two struggled for control of the blanket till they finally settled on sitting close and each having half the blanket.

"You know, we could always restart the fire," Lily commented after the two had sat in silence for what seemed ages.

"That wouldn't be very fun."

"It's cold."

"You'll live."

"Are you anti-fire?"

"Nope, I just like to be close to you," James said, laughing.

"Figures," Lily said under breath. She slowly inched away from James.

"Are you really that cold?" James asked. Lily could feel his breath on her face; he was that close.

"Yes, no thanks to you," Lily said, shoving him away as she started to feel uncomfortable.

"I'll warm you up," James said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her softly.

"James," Lily whispered quietly as she turned her head away.

"Lily," James whispered back, turning her face toward his and slowly resting his forehead on hers. The two stared at each other. "Are you warm yet?"

Slowly Lily smiled. So what if she might regret this later? She was happy to live in the moment. "This is the best fire you've ever made."


End file.
